International
Israel will limit visas for the UN humanitarian agency (OCHA) to just one month
Israel announced this Wednesday at the UN Security Council that it will limit visas to only one month for employees of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which it accused of having “a continuous bias against the State of Israel”.
The Israeli ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, assured that the OCHA has within it several workers affiliated with Hamas, some of whom even participated in the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023 that cost the lives of almost 2,000 people.
However, he did not provide evidence of his accusations.
The session was convened to discuss the humanitarian emergency in Gaza and the increasing cases of death from starvation, but Danon used his speech to counterattack the alleged hostility of the UN to his country, since the alleged collusion with Hamas was already used to organize an effective campaign to discredit UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Danon also announced that his country will not automatically renew visas to international OCHA staff, and that “hundreds of employees” of that agency have been examined in what he called a “security veto” that led Israel to withdraw their work permits from several officials “for clear evidence of a solid affiliation with Hamas”.
He also confirmed that the head of the OCHA in the Palestinian territories, Jonathan Whittall, will not be able to renew his visa “and will leave the country on July 29,” after complaining about what he called “an endless campaign of defamation” against his country.
The diplomat took the opportunity to launch a global attack on the entire UN: “What the UN does is cling to a political agenda, protect its biases and defend its agencies that have long since abandoned neutrality.”
And he boasted that Israel “makes the Middle East safer for all those who value peace and tranquility. In other words, we are doing the work of the UN,” he proclaimed.
The accusations against the OCHA are reminiscent of those that Israel launched against UNRWA for the same cases – complicity with Hamas and terrorist attacks – that cost this agency a discredit and withdrawal campaign that it took many months to overcome, and only partially, since the United States withdrew all its funding and even banned it with a vote in Congress.
International
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
A U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean killed three people on Saturday, according to Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth, marking the latest in a series of attacks in international waters.
The United States has deployed ships to the Caribbean and sent fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of a large military force that Washington says is aimed at curbing drug trafficking.
“This vessel, like all the others, was known to our intelligence for being involved in illicit narcotics smuggling,” Hegseth stated on X. “Three narcoterrorists were aboard the vessel during the attack, which took place in international waters,” he added.
Experts argue that the attacks, which began in early September, amount to extrajudicial executions, even if the targets are known traffickers.
Washington has yet to publicly provide evidence that the targeted individuals were actively smuggling drugs or posed a threat to the United States.
Hegseth said the U.S. would continue “hunting… and killing” suspected traffickers. He also shared video footage of the strike, showing the vessel being hit and engulfed in flames. As in previous videos, sections of the ship were blurred, making it impossible to verify the number of people on board.
The United Nations called on Friday for Washington to halt its attacks.
International
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
At least 23 people were killed and 11 others injured in an explosion at a supermarket in Hermosillo, in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, local authorities reported on Saturday.
“So far, there are 23 confirmed deaths and 11 injured, including minors,” said Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo in a video message. He added that the injured are receiving treatment in various hospitals across the city.
“I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation to determine the causes of the incident and assign responsibility where appropriate,” Durazo said.
The explosion occurred at a Waldo’s store in downtown Hermosillo. Local authorities confirmed that the incident was not an attack nor related to any violent act against civilians.
Meanwhile, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences on X, offering sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.
International
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 28, with six people reported missing and 43 injured, local newspaper VnExpress reported Friday night.
More than 22,100 homes remain flooded, primarily in the cities of Hue and Da Nang. Floods and landslides have destroyed or swept away 91 houses and damaged another 181, the report added.
Around 245,000 households are still without electricity, particularly in Da Nang, where over 225,000 homes are affected.
Additionally, 80 stretches of national highways are blocked or disrupted due to landslides. Authorities expect the flooding to continue for another day or two in the region.
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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